The Daughter of Neptune - A heroine of Olympus
by Warbird101
Summary: Fem!Percy. Takes place after TLH. Percy finds herself wrapped up in Hera's plans, to be used as the Olympians' pawn again. Can she break free of the web Hera has trapped her in while simultaneously defeating Gaea and her forces? Will she be able to save her friends and choose between the boys who stole her heart? Fem!Percy/Jason Fem!Percy/Will S. and other pairings
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Basically, whatever happened in the PJO series still takes place. Only difference is Percy is now a girl. Of Course there are a few changes - regarding her friend circle and love life, but you'll have to read to find out!**

Chapter 1

It was an unusually bright day. An eerily silent spring breeze was blowing through the empty roads of San Francisco. Any local passersby would have rejoiced at the thought of a quiet day instead of listening to the sound of the usually bustling streets. And to their hard luck, they were to be severely disappointed.

A sudden and loud sound of shattering glass could be heard not too far from the nearest highway. It came from none other than the local Rockridge Market Hall. Nearby residents would have blamed it on some _blasted kids_ tarnishing the peace of an early morning. Though if spectators looked closely, they notice one particular _blasted kid _who was indeed the cause of this mayhem. The answer to their problems was a young girl of about 16 being chased by two old ladies – probably those who were working at the said location.

The girl in question was a demigod – a fact that remained unknown to the unsettled population of the area, the very reason she wasn't to be blamed for the above mentioned uproar.

Upon closer inspection, the girl of 5'9 with questionable sea-green eyes, was wearing a tattered and mud-filled orange t-shirt with a faded print, too faded to be made out and a pair of classic skinny yet muddy denim blue jeans. In her right hand she held a 3-foot long celestial bronze sword with a small Greek inscription – _Anaklusmos_ or 'Riptide' – at its hilt. While running from what appeared to be two demented ladies, her wavy raven hair made it a point to get into her eyes every few minutes. The way the sun fell on her face, some would say she looked like a goddess.

She was severely annoyed. Why wouldn't they just die?! She tried to kill them a few days ago when she ran them over with a police are, just yesterday when she sliced their heads in Tilden Park and even today's failed attempt- killing them with some bowling balls near Rockridge Market Hall. But the fates weren't with her – and some gut feeling told her that they never were- today.

It had been three days since she last slept and four since she had a close-to-proper meal. Since then, she had been living off some stale sandwiches and chips she had scrounged up. Running all day and all night, trying to find a sanctuary or anything close to it for people like her – half bloods , the kids of some ancient Roman gods– she recalled.

She was running from the two creatures which appeared as innocent ladies to bystanders called..called..well she couldn't remember exactly. She couldn't remember anything at all - except for 2 names – Thalia Grace and Annabeth Chase. But that sole memory too, was exceedingly dim. _Focus, focus Percy! _she mentally said. _Where can you go?_ She remembered what the wolf Lupa had said - _Trust your instincts, young cub_. Well those supposed instincts got her to a clearing. If she wasn't trying to run from some hideous monsters, she would have gaped at the view!

To her left, golden hills rolled inland, dotted with lakes, woods, and a few herds of cows. To her right, the flatlands of Berkeley and Oakland marched west—a vast checkerboard of neighborhoods, with several million people who probably did not want their morning interrupted by two monsters and a filthy demigod. Farther west, San Francisco Bay glittered under a silvery haze. Past that, a wall of fog had swallowed most of San Francisco, leaving just the tops of skyscrapers and the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.

A feeling told her that she had been here before. The city had some connection to both Annabeth and Thalia, this much she could muster. Should she try to cross the bay? It was tempting. She could feel the power of the ocean just over the horizon. Water always revived her. Salt water was the best. She'd discovered that two days ago when she had strangled a sea monster in the Carquinez Strait. If she could reach the bay, she might be able to make a last stand against those..yes, those _gorgons.._that's it! Maybe she could even drown them. But the shore was at least two miles away. She'd have to cross an entire city.

She hesitated. The reason for this was simply because of what Lupa had told her – _Go South! _It was then that she finally heard them behind her – the gorgons.

They told her that they could smell her anywhere, the reason they would catch up with her. In the beginning she felt that comment was awfully rude – why would anyone say that she stinks? Well, later on she realized…

She knew that the cliff she was presently on was above a tunnel- her very destination. But there was no way down and the gorgons were closing in fast. She slung off his backpack full of supplies at the Napa Bargain Mart [a recent pittstop] : a portable GPS, duct tape, lighter, superglue, water bottle, camping roll and a Swiss army knife—pretty much every tool a modern demigod could want in this particular situation. But she had nothing that would serve as a parachute or a sled – the only way, she decided, she could get of this cliff. That left her with two options: jump eighty feet to her death, or stand and fight. Both options sounded pretty bad.

She remembered how she ended up here. She'd woken up with her sword her first night at the Wolf House—two months ago? More? She'd lost track. She'd found herself in the courtyard of a burned-out mansion in the middle of the woods, wearing shorts, an orange T-shirt, and a leather necklace with a bunch of strange clay beads –the same ones presently in her pocket. Percy had had no idea who she was or how she'd gotten there. Barefoot, freezing, and confused, the wolves came. .and the rest as they say was history.

She had already learned from her past experiences that these guys didn't die. That left her with one choice – down the hill she goes! Suddenly, a voice brought her back to the world at present. "You've led us quite a chase, Percy Jackson," The gorgon called Euryale said. "But now you're trapped, and we'll have our revenge!"

"Revenge for what?" I asked stepping back. A couple of inches and _poof – _I'd be reaching my destination the hard way. "For killing our sister,dear. I'm sure you remember her – Medusa." The reply came almost immediately.

"Look, ladies, we've been over this. I don't even remember killing Medusa. I don't remember anything! Just let me go!"

Stheno, the other gorgon, gave her sister a pouty look, which was hard to do with giant bronze tusks. "Can we?"

"No!" Euryale's red eyes bored into Percy. "I don't care what you remember, daughter of the sea god. I can smell Medusa'sblood on you. It's faint, yes, several years old, but you were the last one to defeat her. She still has not returned from Tartarus. It's your fault!"

That's it! I don't have time for this! Percy put her bag behind her butt, said a silent prayer to whatever Roman god oversaw stupid sledding tricks, and jumped off the side of the hill.


	2. Chapter 2

Percy was pleased to say that she learnt something today- something that she would definitely like to share with anyone who could get their hands on this piece of advice - even if it was the hard way : Sliding down a 1500m cliff at 70miles an hour…yeah….not really a good idea. Half-way through her joyride, when she wasn't looking back to make sure that she wasn't being followed by the snake sisters, she was busy dodging huge, sharp boulders 'n' trees and trying to make sure that she was headed towards the highway.

But even that was short-lived. She had other major problems ahead of her, a problem that required her complete and undivided attention – a 5 story building with one freakin huge glass dome right at the top – at the end of her ride. Who builds this stuff…don't these people know that it poses a huge problem for demigods who like to go snowboarding in the middle of the city? Are they that clueless?

With rows of trees on her right and big, pointy and inviting boulders on her left, there was absolutely no way that Percy could make her way around this one. She managed to swivel sideways at the last moment, to avoid breaking her legs on impact.

Her rucksack skittered on the dome and sailed through the air. The bag pack went one way. Percy went the other. As she fell towards the highway, a horrible scenario flashed through her mind: her body smashing against an SUV's windshield, some annoyed commuter trying to push her off with the wipers. _Stupid sixteen-year-old kid falling from the sky! I'm late!_ Of all the ways she thought she would have died, this definitely wasn't how Percy pictured it. Miraculously [a little too miraculously], a gust of wind blew her to one side – just enough to miss the highway and crash into a clump of bushes. Just before she landed, a sort-of memory flashed through her mind, more like a bit of advice to avoid any broken bones –drop down while tilting and roll. Gods only know when she learnt that. The fall wasn't soft, but it was way better than tarmac.

Percy groaned. She wanted to lie there and pass out, but she had to keep moving. The gorgons won't let a _small, harmless_ cliff - a _minor_ discomfort – get in their way. She struggled to her feet. Her hands were scratched up, but no bones seemed to be broken. _Thank gods!_ It also seemed that her backpack landed no more than a few feet beside her. _Finally, _she thought,_ a bit of luck._

Somewhere on the sled ride she'd lost her sword, but Percy knew it would eventually reappear in her pocket in pen form. That was part of its magic - that much she knew. She glanced up the hill. The gorgons were hard to miss, with their colourful snake hair and their bright red Rockridge Market hall vests. They were picking their way down the slope, going slower than Percy but with a lot more control. Those chicken feet must've been good for climbing.

Percy figured she had maybe five minutes before they reached her. To her right, a tall chain-link fence separated the highway from a neighbourhood of winding streets, cosy houses and eucalyptus trees. The fence was probably there to keep people from getting onto the highway and doing stupid things – like sledding into the fast lane on some makeshift support – but the chain-link was full of big holes. Courtesy, she was sure, of the local teens. Percy could have easily slipped through if she wanted to.

Maybe she could still find a car and drive west to the ocean. It was undeniably tempting. She didn't like stealing cars or anything else for that matter, but over the past few weeks, in life-and-death situations, she'd 'borrowed' several, including a police cruiser. She'd meant to return them, but they always seemed to be destroyed by all those pesky monsters running after her.

She glanced east. Just as she'd figured, a hundred yards uphill, the highway cut through the base of the cliff. Two tunnel entrances, one for each direction of traffic, stared down at her like eye sockets of a giant skull and a muddy rolling tongue which seemed to be taunting her. In the middle, where the nose would have been, a cement wall jutted from the hillside, with a metal door like the entrance to a bunker. It might have been a maintenance tunnel. That's probably what mortals thought, if they noticed the door at all. But they

couldn't see through the Mist.

Percy knew the door was more than that. It was where her instincts were screaming at her to go. Two kids in armour flanked the entrance. They wore a

bizarre mix of plumed Roman helmets, breastplates, scabbards, blue jeans, purple T-shirts and orange trainers. The guard on the right looked like a girl, though it was hard to make out from where Percy was currently standing.

The one on the left looked to be a stocky guy with a bow and quiver on his back. Both kids held long wooden staffs with iron spear tips, like old fashioned harpoons. Percy's internal radar was pinging like crazy now. After so many horrible days, she'd finally reached her goal. Her gut told her that if she could make it inside that door she might finally find the safety she desired since the wolves had sent her south. So why did she feel such dread?

Further up the hill, the gorgons were scrambling over the roofs of the apartment complexes along the highway. At the rate at which they were jumping from roof-to-roof, they were probably 3 minutes away – maybe less. Part of her wanted to run to the door in the hill. She'd have to cross to the median of the highway, but then it would be a short sprint to what would supposedly be home. She could make it before the gorgons reached her…definitely…though she still didn't like her chances.

The rest of her wanted to head west to the ocean. That's where she'd be safest and strongest. It was like an inner calling. _What is part of sea, must return to the sea._ She had absolutely no idea where that came from and no time to figure it out.

Those Roman guards at the door made her uneasy. Something inside her said: This isn't my territory. This is dangerous.

'You're right, of course,' said a voice next to her. Percy jumped. At first she thought Beano had managed to sneak up on her again, but the old lady sitting in the bushes was even more repulsive than a gorgon. She looked like a

hippie who'd been kicked to the side of the road maybe forty years ago, where she'd been collecting trash and rags ever since. She wore a dress made of tie-dyed cloth, ripped-up quilts, and plastic grocery bags. Her frizzy mop of

hair was grey-brown, like root-beer foam, tied back with a peace-sign headband which, without a doubt, was rotting. Warts and moles covered her face. When she smiled, she showed exactly three teeth. And those too were a mix of black and yellow, green and mouldy. It made Percy gag.

'It isn't a maintenance tunnel,' the decomposing hippy confided. 'It's the

entrance to camp.' A jolt went up Percy's spine. Camp. Yes, that's where she needed to go. The place that, her heart told her, was where she belonged. Maybe Annabeth and Thalia would be here. Maybe she would remember what was forgotten and maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay. Though she highly doubted it.

The old hippie lady raised her eyebrows. 'Not much time, child. You need to make your choice.'

'Who are you?' Percy asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted to know. The last thing she needed was another visit from her worst enemy. All it caused her last time was trouble. Loads and loads of trouble. _Worst enemy? Where the heck did that come from?_

'Oh, you can call me June.' The old lady's eyes sparkled as if she'd made an excellent joke. 'It is June, isn't it? They named the month after me!'

'Okay … Look, I should go. Two gorgons are coming. I don't want them to hurt you.' It was more or less the truth.

June clasped her hands over her heart. 'How sweet! But that's part of your choice!'

'My choice …' Percy glanced nervously towards the hill.

The gorgons had taken off their red vests. They were only a block away. Wings sprouted from their backs – small bat wings, which glinted like brass.

Since when did they have wings? Maybe they were Ornamental. Maybe they were too small to get a gorgon into the air. How in the world could such heavy and ugly things fly? Then again, how could Percy be the daughter of some ancient, rotting Roman god? Who was she to judge? Then the two sisters leaped off the last apartment building and soared towards her. Great. Just great.

'Yes, a choice,' June said, as if she were in no hurry. 'You could leave me here, at the mercy of the gorgons and go run to your _ocean. _You would be safe forever. You would live a long happy life. Or you could do an old lady a favour and carry her into camp.'

_Wait. _'_Carry_ you? Percy seriously hoped this fat-assed, ugly goddess was kidding. I mean, there is practically no one else who would do this to you. The old hag she was face-to-face with _had_ to be a goddess…_Right?_

'Carry me to camp – across the highway, through the tunnel, across the river.' Percy didn't know what river she meant, but it didn't sound easy. June looked pretty heavy. On the plus side , the gorgons were only fifty yards away now – leisurely gliding towards her as if they knew their hunt was almost over. Percy looked at the demented goddess. 'And I'd carry you to this camp because – ?'

'Because it's a kindness!' she said. 'And if you don't the gods will die, the world we know will perish and everyone from your old life will be destroyed. Of course, you wouldn't remember them, so I suppose it won't matter. You'd be safe at the bottom of the sea …' Percy swallowed. The gorgons shrieked with laughter as

they soared in for the kill.

'If I go to the camp,' Percy said, 'will I get my memory back? Will I meet my friends and family again?'

'_Family?_' June mused 'Eventually, I'm sure,' she continued. 'But be warned, you will sacrifice much! You'll lose the mark of Achilles. You'll feel pain, misery and loss beyond anything you've ever known. But you might have a chance to save your old friends and _family_, to reclaim your old life.' The gorgons were circling right overhead. They could probably sense the power she expelled and were possibly unsure about their next move. Percy also wondered why June was stressing on the word family so much. I mean…she did have a family…..didn't she?

'What about those guards at the door?' Percy asked. June smiled. 'Oh, they'll let you in, dear. You can trust those two. So, what do you say? Will you help a

defenseless old woman?' Percy doubted June was defenseless or that she was even an old woman. At worst, this was a trap. At best, it was some kind of test. Percy hated tests. Since she'd lost her memory, her whole life was one big fill-in-the-blank – a failed test. She was _, from _. She felt like _, and if the monsters caught her, she'd be _.

Then she thought about Annabeth and Thalia, the only part of her old

life she was sure about. She had to find them.

'I'll carry you.' She scooped up the 5'1 tall woman. She was lighter than she expected. Percy tried to ignore her sour breath and also tried her level best not to gag again. It would sure make this annoying goddess less than pleased.

Percy ran for the door in the hillside. June got heavier with every step. Percy's heart pounded. Her ribs ached…oooh..yeah...they were definitely broken.

One of the guards yelled. The guy with the bow notched an arrow. Percy shouted, 'Wait!' But the boy wasn't aiming at her. The arrow flew over Percy's head. A gorgon wailed in pain. The second guard readied her spear, gesturing frantically at Percy to hurry. Fifty feet from the door. Thirty feet. 'Gotcha!' shrieked Euryale. Percy turned as an arrow thudded into her forehead. Euryale tumbled into the fast lane. A truck slammed into her and carried her backwards

a hundred yards, but she just climbed over the cab, pulled the arrow out of her head – quite sick by the way- and launched back into the air. Percy reached the door. 'Thanks,' she told the guards.

'Good shot.' Said the girl.

'That should've killed her!' the archer protested.

'Welcome to my world,' Percy muttered.

'Frank,' the girl said. 'Get them inside, quick! Those are gorgons.'

'Gorgons?' The archer's voice squeaked. It was hard to tell much about him under the helmet, but he looked stout like a wrestler, maybe fourteen or fifteen. 'Will the door hold them?'

In Percy's arms, June cackled. 'No, no it won't. Onward, Percy Jackson! Through the tunnel, over the river!'

'Percy Jackson?' The female guard was darker-skinned, with curly hair sticking out the sides of her helmet. She looked younger than Frank – maybe thirteen. Her sword scabbard came down almost to her ankle. Still, she sounded like she was the one in charge. 'You're obviously a demigod. But who's the –?' She glanced at June. 'Never mind. Just get inside. I'll hold them off.'

'Hazel,' the boy said. 'Don't be crazy.'

'Go!' she demanded.

Frank cursed in another language – was that Latin? – and opened the door. 'Come on!' Percy followed, staggering under the weight of the old

lady, who was definitely getting heavier. She didn't know how that girl Hazel would hold off the gorgons by herself, but right now, Percy was too tired to argue. Her _sanctuary_ awaited her.

As the 3 ran deeper into the hillside, the rocky ground turned into mosaic. Lights changed to torches which burned but didn't smoke. They gave the tunnel an ancient affect. Behind them, the gorgons' screeches echoed in the tunnel. Hazel shouted. Percy was tempted to dump June and run back to help, but then the entire tunnel shook with the rumble of falling stone. There was a squawking sound, just like the gorgons had made when Percy had dropped a

crate of bowling balls on them. She glanced back.

The west end of the tunnel was now filled with dust. 'Shouldn't we check on Hazel?' she asked. 'She'll be okay – I hope,' Frank said. 'She's good

underground. Just keep moving! We're almost there.'

'Almost where?'

June chuckled. 'All roads lead there, child. You should know that.'

'Heaven?' Percy asked.

'Rome, child,' the old woman said. 'Rome.'

Percy wasn't sure she'd heard her right. True, her memory was gone. Her brain hadn't felt right since she had woken up at the Wolf House. But she was pretty sure Rome wasn't in California.

They kept running. The glow at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, and finally they burst into sunlight. Percy froze. Spread out at her feet was a bowl-shaped

valley several miles wide. The basin floor was rumpled with smaller hills, golden plains and stretches of forest. A small clear river cut a winding course from a lake in the center and round the perimeter, like a capital G.

The geography could've been anywhere in northern California – oaks and eucalyptus trees, gold hills and blue skies. That big inland mountain – what was it called, Mount Diablo? – rose in the distance, right where it should be. But Percy felt like she'd stepped into a secret world. In the center of the valley, nestled by the lake, was a small city of white marble buildings with red-tiled roofs. Some had domes and columned porticoes, like national monuments. Others looked like palaces, with golden doors and large gardens. She could see an open plaza with freestanding columns, fountains and statues.

A virtually impossible five-story-tall Roman coliseum gleamed in the sun, next to a long oval arena like a racetrack. Across the lake to the south, another hill was dotted with even more impressive buildings – temples, Percy guessed. Several stone bridges crossed the river as it wound through the valley and, in the north, a long line of brickwork arches stretched from the hills into the town. Breathtaking.

The strangest part of the valley was right below her. About two hundred yards away, just across the river, was some sort of military encampment. It was about a quarter mile square, with earthen ramparts on all four sides, the tops lined with sharpened spikes. Outside the walls ran a dry moat, also studded with spikes.

Wooden watchtowers rose at each corner, manned by sentries with oversized mounted crossbows. Purple banners hung from the towers. A wide gateway opened on the far side of camp, leading towards the city. A narrower gate stood closed on the riverbank side. Inside, the fortress bustled with activity:

dozens of kids going to and from barracks, carrying weapons, polishing armour. Percy heard the clank of hammers at a forge and smelled meat cooking over a fire. Something about this place felt very familiar, yet not quite right.

'Camp Jupiter,' Frank said. 'We'll be safe once –'

Footsteps echoed in the tunnel behind them. Hazel burst into the light. She was covered with stone dust and breathing hard. She'd lost her helmet, so her curly brown hair fell around her shoulders. Her armour had long slash marks in front from the claws of a gorgon. One of the monsters had tagged her with a 50% OFF sticker.

'I slowed them down,' she said. 'But they'll be here any second.' Frank cursed. 'We have to get across the river.' June squeezed Percy's neck tighter. 'Oh, yes, please. I can't get my dress wet.' Percy bit her tongue. If this lady was a goddess, she must've been the goddess of smelly, heavy, useless hippies. But she'd come this far. She'd better keep lugging her along. It's a kindness, she'd said. Yeah, a kindness _my ass_.

If this was a test, she couldn't afford to get an F.

She turned her head back towards the river. _Might as well get this over with._ She stumbled a few times as they ran for the river.

**A/N : Hey Guys! Thanks for the amazing** response** for the first chapter. Don't forget to take a minute to review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

For quite some time now, Percy sought after a peaceful start to the day. It was quite ridiculous, she knew that very well. The past few days were a great example of how _peaceful_ her life would get anytime soon. She thought that maybe, just maybe, she would finally achieve that long-awaited serenity after reaching Camp Jupiter. As always, she was wrong.

The gorgons kept following the trio + 1 well past the camp boundaries. A river, probably the one June mentioned, was right up ahead. Percy, in the lead, was still burdened with carrying the now [probably] 500 pound goddess. The rear was brought up with a panting Hazel and an anxious Frank. The gorgons' plaintive screeching was still heard from their current position. _They must be about a few feet behind us_ mused Percy.

"These things aren't stopping anytime soon. It's my turn to silence these god-awful creatures." And with that, Frank had turned around and left the slow-progressing half-bloods. The loading, flying and landing of arrows could be heard distinctly. They had reached the banks of the river.

June chuckled. "Ah! The Little Tiber at last! Equally powerful as the original Tiber – the river of the empire. Now is the time for your critical choice young Percy. Choose to go across the Little Tiber and you shall lose the sacred Greek blessing placed upon you – The Achilles Curse. You will no longer bear it and become vulnerable. Or, the option still stands – you may turn around and stay safe and secure. No pain, no possibilities and no future of uncertainty or instant death. Choose wisely hero!"

Percy had no idea what June just said. Though she understood one thing quite clearly. "No more iron hard skin?" June just smiled. It was quite obvious that she didn't have much choice if she wanted her memories – her old life back. But Percy was still extremely hesitant about swimming in the Little Tiber. The currents were powerful and even dangerous. After a seconds hesitation she jumped in.

The water was ice cold and would have sent shivers down any mortal's spine – not Percy's though. The water didn't affect her. Instead she felt an adrenalin rush of strength. She felt like she just had a cup of an iced Venti nonfat caramel macchiato with whipped cream and an extra shot of espresso – shaken, not stirred. **(A/N: I just had to do that!)**

It was right then that Percy noticed the watchtowers bordering the path into New Rome with sentries stationed in almost every nook and corner. All had arrows pointing straight behind her. She turned around. The gorgons, 5 feet above the Little Tiber, had Frank in their grasps. Hazel had unsheathed and welded her Sarthe in her right hand- ready to take on any challenge presented to her. Several sentries had also unsheathed their various weapons, wanting to take down the new threat.

But she knew that no-one could help. The archers had a high chance of shooting Frank instead and the sentries wouldn't reach him on time. Only Percy herself could do something. She put June down and turned up to glare right at the snake-haired, chicken-footed, moldy-toothed gorgons. _Finally! _She thought as she raised her hands. The water followed suit.

The movements of the water were ferocious and lethal, likewise graceful as it went on to 'chain' the gorgons and ensnare them. A pair of hands rose out of the river and tried to engulf the monsters in their fists. It was very successful. The gorgons went into the water after a 10 second free fall and graced the on-lookers with golden dust. The powerful river currents stopped Medusa's sisters from re-forming. Hopefully, for a very long time.

Percy was left standing on the bank of the river, feeling drained, exposed, raw and…dare she say it…susceptible. She shivered for a second. She turned to June who winked at her before turning to face the various demi-gods - the very same ones who looked onto the scene with awe. "-saw that?" "Neptune's spawn?" "What next? A visit from Ops?" **[A/N: Ops is the titan Rhea in her Roman form, for those who don't know]**

June gave a pressing look to the crowd and…transformed. Transformed into a 7-foot tall goddess wearing a long, beautiful blue gown and a goat-skin….cape was it?

The campers instantly bowed down. Hazel was the first to break the sudden silence. "Juno" Everyone was still and soundless. I was the only one left standing. But I didn't bother bowing down. "Juno, huh?" I was starting to get very irritated very fast. "I made my decision. I did what you asked. I'm here now. Would you please hand over that chunk of my head you took quite _recently_?" Juno looked nothing short of amused. "In time, young one."

A girl, probably Percy's age, with raven hair, dark eyes, a fierce look plastered on her face and medals decorating her purple t-shirt was the next to address the immortal. "My lady. What brings you here?"

"Rise, Praetor Reyna. I am here to present to you the Daughter of Neptune. She has slumbered long and is finally awake. Her fate rests with you. Death, released, holds the key to victory in battle. Don't fail me." With that, she disappeared. Just like that. _Poof!_

Instantly, the restless crowd rose and turned to face 'Praetor Reyna' who in turn faced me. "Welcome, Percy Jackson, to Camp Jupiter. I am Reyna, daughter of Bellona and Praetor of the twelfth legion. If you would please follow me to the Principia, it seems, we have a lot to discuss." It may have been a request but it sounded more like an order.

After addressing the crowd and giving out orders, I followed the leader of the camp to answer some questions and get some answers myself.

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Every inch of the ceiling was covered with mosaics, each of which held a different image and told a different story. One of the said mosaics was of the she-wolf Lupa, another was of Remus and Romulus and others were of the various gods and goddesses – major and minor. The polished white marble floor of the Principia held several pieces of antique furniture. Sunlight made its way through the windows – the purple drapes were held back in place with an intricate looking knot of golden ropes. Several glass cabinets and shelves covered the walls – all of which were full of medals, trophies and military symbols. Banners with various roman inscriptions hung on some walls, the most prominent of which read 'SPQR' with a symbol.

There was a wooden table in the center which was cluttered with things ranging from paperwork and battle plans to small statues and figurines. Percy was absolutely lost in taking in the details of the room. She was suddenly brought from back from her thoughts to the scene at hand with a pointed cough from the Praetor in front of her. "Percy…such behavior shall not be tolerated what-so-ever."

"Sorry"

"Now, back to the topic at hand. You bear no mark on your right arm which leads me to assume that you have never been to Camp Jupiter before. We do have several new recruits but none as old as you. Being a daughter of Neptune, your aura is strong. A half-blood such as yourself couldn't have survived that long on her own. How did you get here? To camp Jupiter, that is."

So, with a quick glance at Reyna's metal greyhounds – Argentum and Aurum – I did what was expected of me and told her everything – from waking up in the Wolf house and losing my memories to my encounter with the gorgons. I left out any mention of Annabeth or Thalia. The thought felt personal, one that was definitely none of Reyna's business.

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**_On Olympus_**

Hera sat on her throne in the empty throne room, eyes closed and deep in her thoughts, when she was interrupted by the sudden presence of a fellow Olympian. She opened her eyes to find none other than Aphrodite standing right in front of her.

"And what brings the love goddess here at this hour?" Hera asked with a small smirk. Ever since Olympus closed down 8 months ago, almost no one bothered getting tangled up in the mess that was the Queen of Olympus's plans. Of course they felt that Hera was gonna screw up bad. It never stopped them from thinking or saying that.

"Hera, I've been thinking.."

"The love goddess thinks…what has the world come to?"

Aphrodite grunted in response to Hera's comment but seemed more or less unaffected. "Of all the seven you've chosen…why Percy? If there was anything I wasn't more sure of, it was the fact that you loathed the Sea God's daughter with every fiber of your being and that the feeling was quite mutual."

Amusement sparked amidst tension in the Queen of Olympus's eyes. "Dear Aphrodite, each of the chosen seven has been given a lot of thought. They were born for the roles and responsibility they are soon to undertake and uphold with every ounce of strength and determination they have."

"Although young Percy was and is always a variable. Always unpredictable, just like the sea. But she plays an important and possibly the most vital role there is to play. She must make a decision that determines the fate of Greece and Rome for the second consecutive time. And this time….it shall be much harder than before. It may even bring the end of us all….but that, dear love goddess, is exactly what I'm counting on. What the enemy can't decipher is the most crucial pawn in the whole game…"

**A/N : I hope this chapter met your expectations! Please don't forget to share your thoughts and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_The sun stood atop the sky, its rays soft and soothing, brilliant and bright. A gust of the warm summer breeze made its way through the Rockaway Beach in Queens which was, as usual, filled to the brim with teenagers. Filled to brim with people - but not crowded or claustrophobic, just extremely vivacious. Its crowd consisted of visitors and regulars – most of whom were working in the several food stalls and shacks located near the boardwalk. One of these teens happened to be a certain daughter of Poseidon. Unlike some others, her shift was over._

_Percy was on her surf board. And there were waves. Honest-to-god swooping, crashing, churning, salt-smelling, white-foam waves. She was almost 200 feet out, the perfect place to catch a wave, lying face down, hands and feet dangling uselessly in the water – enjoying its calming and comforting movements, numb from the cold, the roaring of the water resounding in her ears. After years and years of running away, of constant danger, under instant threats – she was at peace._

_The feeling was odd. She didn't know how to describe it. It felt foreign yet familiar, startling yet anticipated, apprehensive yet welcome. She instinctively looked to her right._

_A boy with a surfer-body, sun-kissed hair and brilliant blue eyes was lolling on his board beside her, waiting for the wave that would pick them up and hurl them towards the beach. He had an athletic build and looked to be about 6 feet tall. He, too, looked up to meet her gaze and grinned. He turned around to look at the horizon. She followed his line of sight._

_A large wave made its way towards them. "Ready to move?" "You bet!"_

_And that's how the day seemed to go - a constant and seemingly endless cycle of waiting for waves, paddling towards them and riding them. _

Percy woke up with the sun in her eyes and a smile on her lips – her posture completely relaxed. I guess this is what a good night's sleep on a soft and cushiony bed does to you. She remembered her dream vividly, as detailed as it could possibly be. There was a certain familiarity when she was on her surf board, it was as if she had been riding it all her life. She was also extremely comfortable, she noted, in the blonde's presence.

It was a memory, she decided. Small bits and pieces coming to her at last. She wondered who her companion was but the desire to surf overcame that thought. She would sell her soul to ride one more wave, sometime soon. But she was sure that it wouldn't be permitted at Camp Jupiter.

She looked around to see a long line of bunk beds, connecting the two corners of the large room. There was a smooth hard-wood staircase leading upto the second floor of the barracks of the fifth cohort. A beautifully designed clock hung up on the wall opposite her, reading the time as 6.30am. She had a habit of waking up early. But considering that most of the bunks were empty – their sheets neatly folded – she guessed that she was already late in starting her new schedule. Yesterday's events flooded through her head in rewind.

After her _chat_ with Reyna. She was escorted to meet the camp augur at the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on Temple hill by Hazel. After witnessing him kill teddy bears, that give brief joy to a 3-year old, to make his _auguries, _she thought him quite the charmer. The daughter of Pluto then gave her a general tour of the camp. Later that evening, at the Mess, she was placed in the fifth cohort; the very reason she was in the said cohort's barracks.

Percy quickly grabbed the few belongings handed over to her the previous day, namely a white towel with and purple embroidered SPQR logo at the bottom right corner - which she later learnt to mean as _Senatus Populusque Romanus _or 'The Senate and the People of Rome'- the motto of the Roman empire, a new pair of denim form-fitting jeans and a purple t-shirt. Her shredded and faded orange t-shirt was lying safely in her bag – she couldn't bear to part with it or give it away, it felt personal; the last material thing other than her sword that connected her to her old life.

After a quick visit to the Baths to get ready, Percy left for the Mess. While making her way towards the long table of the fifth cohort, she passed by many excited campers talking about the 'War Games' that would be held the next evening. She finally spotted Hazel, Frank, Dakota – a son of Bacchus, God of Wine, also the Centurion of the Fifth Cohort and Gwen – a recently claimed daughter of Apollo, also the Senior Centurion of the Fifth Cohort and sat beside them.

"Finally up, sleeping beauty?" slurred Dakota who sat directly opposite her. He was forcibly relinquished from drinking wine, so he would spend most of his days drinking red and bubbly Cool-Aid. A vile product, in her opinion. "You know, you should really wake up earlier. Any later and you would have ended up cleaning the weapons room till the sun had set." Added Frank "I should know, it's happened to me more times than I could count!" I simply smirked in response. "Seriously Percy! It's no joke. If she wants to, Reyna could have you cleaning up the temples day and night with nothing more than a toothbru-"

Gwen was cut off by a lare, Vitellius to be specific. He was one lare that took special interest in new recruits for the Fifth Cohort, or atleast, that's what Hazel had mentioned earlier. 'Quite a pesky one; everyone wants nothing more than to get rid of him, even if he has been around here from the beginning of the legion. It's surprising he didn't get the hint yet.' The 13-year old girl had told her.

"Ah! Percy Jackson, our newest member. Finally got in the Fifth did you? You know, back in my day, the Fifth Cohort was the pride and joy of the Fulminata. But now, its standard is of Greek sewers – lowly and pathetic. I do hope that you prove yourself a useful component in the restoration of our cohort. That you help bring it back to its former glory….." His eyes were glazed, lost in thought. Probably remembering the days when people would bow down to him screaming 'I'm not worthy!' at the top of their lungs…at least that was what I guessed from the expression on his face….

After giving him a weak smile, I turned back towards the table where everyone had commenced eating. It seemed that they were used to his little rants. I looked towards my own to find blueberries and blue maple syrup on top of a stack of fresh blue pancakes. The smell was intoxicating. A smile graced my face and my features loosened up. I felt a warm sensation deep in my gut. I felt….blissful, but that couldn't be said for everybody. Several half-bloods threw curious and odd glances in my direction. I just shrugged them off – they have no idea what they're missing!

"Quick reminder everyone – War Games take place tomorrow night! The first and second cohorts are defending and the third, fourth and fifth are put down for offence. Everyone knows the goal right? We have to…."

The next few hours were spent with Gwen and Dakota explaining their plan of action for the mighty _War Games_.

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They were well into the evening when Percy, Hazel and Frank were finally done with their work for the day. They were exhausted, to say the least. I mean, who wouldn't be? After an agonizingly long day of pre-war games practice, several trips to the infirmary and the assigned daily chores, every single member of their cohort had retreated to their 'dorms' and called it a day. The said members of the trio were probably the only ones of their barrack to be roaming around New Rome – a place Percy had taken a liking to.

The raven-haired demigod was eating a blueberry muffin, freshly baked and purchased from a stall nearby, when Hazel caught a glint of black coming their way. She instantly broke out into a smile and turned towards her. "I almost forgot!" Hazel pulled at Percy's arm. "I want you to meet someone. He's someone I'm very close to. I have a feeling that the both of you would get along well!"

Percy bore a bewildered look before asking "And who might this someone be?"

Just then, a figure appeared behind Hazel. It was a teenage boy, probably a few years younger than Percy herself. He wore a black aviator jacket with dim grey jeans and charcoal combat boots which complimented his unruly raven hair – dark as night. His exceedingly pale skin was brought out because of his choice of clothes. A gentle breeze blew his dark bangs which, just barely, covered his chocolate-brown eyes. He, sub-consciously, kept twisting his silver skull ring. With a Stygian iron sword hanging limply at his side, he may have been absurdly handsome to millions of other teenage girls – their dark and brooding prince charming. But not to Percy. Nope.

As she looked up to meet his brief gaze of shock and relief [quickly covered up] with a calculated one of her own, a wave of brotherly protectiveness washed over her. One look and she felt she would give her life for that lone half-blood standing in front of her – which didn't really help in quenching her apparent, never-ending list of questions. Then Hazel spoke.

"This is Nico di Angelo, my half-brother. The son and ambassador of Pluto and a member of the Senate."

**A/N : Hey Guys! Sorry for the late update. Hope it met your expectations! I've had many people asking me if this fic is gonna be a copy of SON with Fem!Percy. Well...it's not! Keep reading and slowly uncover her mysterious and ****_different_**** past.**

**Don't forget to review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey Guys! Its been long...and I'm very sorry for that! I promise to update faster in the future. Anyway, I hope you like this one. It's a filler chapter. Enjoy! :)**

**_Chapter 5_**

Hazel POV :

When Hazel had settled down in Camp Jupiter and came to terms with having a half-brother, she came to understand one thing – all Romans, the ones she knew, in a position of power, namely Jason, Reyna or even Octavian were nowhere near as powerful as Nico di Angelo. Where everyone shrugged him off as a harmless yet annoying little demigod, Hazel knew better. She thought….no…..she _knew_ that Nico was the most powerful demigod of their time, with his almost god-like aura and intense waves of power down-right rolling off of him. Then she met Percy, who contradicted all of the above.

The daughter of Neptune was…something. In the past century, there had been only one descendant of Neptune to even come to Camp Jupiter. Sons of Neptune were quite uncommon and his daughters were…. extremely rare, to say the least. Percy's arrival, it was safe to say, had stirred the camp up. For good or bad….she wasn't too sure.

As soon as she introduced the older girl to Nico, she could literally taste the tension between the two. Even if Hazel hadn't known Nico long, she could effortlessly interpret the uneasiness, clearly evident on his facial features. To say that Percy didn't feel the same way was an extreme understatement.

She had immediately uncapped her pen – unleashing the glorious and deadly celestial bronze sword _Anaklusmos_. She then proceded by crouching down and kicking Nico's legs out from under him and leveled her sword with his neck before he had any time to react.

"Who are you?!" demanded the raven-haired teen. "Definitely not your enemy" was the straightforward response. Percy bent lower, her face a good 15 inches from the young boy's face as her frown slowly turned into an aggravated sneer, "Who the hell am I and what the heck am I doing here?!"

The colour had left Hazel's face. A chill creeped its way down her spine. If she was stunned by the older girl's reaction, then it was nothing as compared to the astonishment she felt at seeing a smirk adorning the son of Pluto's face, as if he expected nothing less. "Someone's bidding I presume." "Whose?" He stood up, brushing the dirt off his jeans as he replied in the calmest manner possible, "Isn't that for _you_ to figure out?"

Percy capped her sword, rather irritated. "I think I just did." Nico's smirk grew even wider, "And who might that be?" "The one who makes all these shitty plans..." , she murmured her somewhat cryptic answer. "Good for you. Now if you'd please, I'd like to talk to my sister in private" Nico said to the older teen, shooing her off. "This isn't over. We need to talk-" Percy affirmed. "I don't think so buttercup." My half-brother was quick to cut her off "So if you'll please…" ,he said gesturing towards the end of the road.

Percy grudgingly turned around and walked back towards the Barracks. As soon as the 16 year old was out of ear-shot, Nico wasted no time in questioning me. "Did you tell Reyna about Gaia's army yet?" My mouth went dry. Hearing that specific goddess's name made me nauseous. "I did mention the giants to her…I didn't know how to explain the rest quite just yet…." I said in turn. Nico just sighed and nodded as if to state that he understood.

Being the son of Pluto as well as a nomad, the 14-year old demigod was well informed of the current situation of our world. He knew of the rise of Alcyoneus, the giant born to oppose their father, among others who had risen. But even that wasn't of primary concern to them. The most troubling thing was that of death. Monsters that are dissipated reform in a few minutes or on the spot; their encounter with the gorgons was further proof of that. Nico seemed to believe that it had something to do with Death itself – Letus or Thanatos – their father's right-hand man.

If they couldn't figure out what was wrong, the way to put a stop to this particular problem - monsters would be unstoppable. And if Gaia was behind this, which both Nico and I am quite sure of, no-one would be able to stand up to the Earth goddess's army – demi-god or god. I just hoped there was a way.

And something told me that Nico had already figured it out.

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The sun was setting over the horizon, casting an orange haze over Camp Jupiter. Every member of the Camp serving the legion was responding to the horns blowing across the river by gathering for the evening muster. Percy was sitting on the roof of Neptune's temple on Temple Hill, trying to feel some connection to her father as she sorted out the various degrees of emotion flowing through her.

The sky was a beautiful concoction of light blue, baby pink and light orange hues. A cool gentle breeze mopped her forehead with tufts of raven hair. The scent of the salted river water was faint yet soothing. From where she was perched, she had a great view of New Rome and the Lake. It was the perfect place to think.

Percy thought back to her meeting with Nico di Angelo, earlier that day. It sufficed to say that he knew her – from even before she had her memories taken away. She knew that her sudden attack on the young boy had freaked Hazel out; looking back on it, she felt her actions to be reckless and hasty. She really needed to think things through in the future. But she couldn't shake the feeling that they had been close, very close, to each other in the past.

The warning horns for the daily muster began to sound nearly five minutes later. _Stultior!_ She reprimanded herself for being such an idiot. Even though Percy was new to the ways of the Romans, she was already familiar with their strict, punctual and if need be - harsh nature; she really couldn't afford to be tardy. So without further adieu, the daughter of the sea god hauled ass towards the Camp Gates.

She managed to make it right on time – the Fifth Cohort Centurions had just called out her name for roll call. But the teen didn't care much; the sight of the legion assembling took her breath away. The first four cohorts, each forty kids strong, stood in rows in front of their barracks on either side of the Via Praetoria. The Fifth Cohort assembled at the very end, in front of the principia, since their barracks were tucked in the back corner of camp next to the stables.

The campers were dressed for war. Their polished chain mail and greaves gleamed over purple T-shirts and jeans. Sword-and-skull designs decorated their helmets. Even their leather combat boots looked ferocious with their iron cleats, great for marching through mud or stomping on faces. Some kids, especially the Centurions of the Second and Third Cohorts looked mean enough to do so.

In front of the legionnaires, like a line of giant dominoes, stood their red and gold shields, each the size of a refrigerator door. Every legionnaire carried a harpoon like spear called a pilum, a gladius, a dagger and about a hundred pounds of other equipment. Newbies like Percy would without a doubt wet their pants looking at the sheer amount of armor they had to wear around all day, but then again, she felt like it was just a warm up. Maybe, in the past, she was used to intense physical workouts?

Reyna stood right at the front of the gathered legionnaires, flanked by her metal greyhounds Argentum and Aurum. As she climbed on to her Pegasus, she addressed the crowd. "Romans!" she began "You have an hour for dinner before we begin the War Games. First and Second are on the defense; Third, Fourth and Fifth are to attack. As your Praetor, I shall preside over the game and keep track of all members of the legion. You may begin to move towards the Mess. I wish you all the very best of luck. May the best Cohort win!"

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The Fifth Cohort marched in two lines, lead by their centurions Gwen and Dakota, onto the Field of Mars – the seemingly largest and flattest part of the city. Campers stomped their feet on the short-cropped grass and craters formed due to explosions from previous games. The attacking teams were moving towards the fort towards the north of the field. As Percy tried to keep up with the rhythmic marching of the rest of the Cohort, Hazel and Frank engaged her in light conversation.

"They've done a very good job today. That's not good for us." , said Hazel nervously, "Not good at all!" "Wait a second. _Today?_ They built this bloody castle _today?!_" exclaimed the older girl. "Of course." Cut in Frank, with a slight smirk gracing his baby-ish face "If they wanted to, the entire legion could take down the whole of New Rome and build it elsewhere in a matter of 3 to 4 days. Romans were taught to create. Building things is literally their second nature." "That's absolutely crazy…" said Percy who looked quite dumbstruck.

Soon enough, all the attaching Cohorts – the Third, Fourth and Fifth – stopped. Gwen and Dakota took off towards the front to meet with the centurions of the other Cohorts for a 'pre-attack meeting'. As they did so, Percy couldn't help but notice that the Third and Fourth Cohort stood as far away as they could from the Fifth. But that didn't faze the Sea God's daughter. Gwen had told her about the Fifth's history, how the fifth came to be known as the most disgraceful from the most reputable cohort because of the late praetor Michael Varus.

When their centurions returned, Dakota looked dismayed while Gwen confident. "They're sending the Fifth Cohort to attack first. Maybe this time we'll win the Mural Crown!" said Gwen. "Yeah right!" the son of Bacchus scoffed "They're just sending us out there to soften up the defenses." Everyone collectively groaned. "Common people! We might even have the chance to snag the flags! We can do this!" cried Gwen "Let's show 'em what we've got!"

Hazel snorted. "Leave it to Gwen to be an optimist. I swear, one day she'll find a way to make the apocalypse look like Cinderella and Bugs Bunny going out for tea!" Percy just smiled. "What did Gwen mean by the Mural Crown?" "Military Medal." Said Frank automatically. "Big honor for the soldier who breeched the enemy fort first. You'll find that no one in the Fifth wears one."

Before Frank could say anything else, Gwen had gotten everyone's attention by banging her sword on her shield. "Alright! Alright! That's enough! I want everyone back in line. First line has to lock shields and carry on forward to the main gates in turtle formation. Draw their fire. Second line –'Gwen turned to Frank's row without much enthusiasm. 'You seventeen, from Bobby over, take charge of the elephant and the scaling ladders. Try a flanking attack on the western wall. Maybe we can spread the defenders too thin. Frank, Hazel, Percy … well, just do whatever. Show Percy the ropes. Try to keep her alive.'

She turned back to the whole cohort. 'If anybody gets over the wall first, I'll make sure you get the Mural Crown. Victory for the Fifth!' The cohort cheered half-heartedly and broke ranks. Percy frowned. "Do whatever?" 'Yeah,' Hazel sighed. 'Big vote of confidence.'

Percy hummed. "If there are no special orders for us," Frank gestured to the trio "then I have an idea." He finished, smirking deviously. "Most of us don't get a chance to breech the fort because of tight defenses and also because of fire arrows and water cannons." He further explained. The girls gave him odd looks.

'The cannons on the walls,' Frank said, 'they draw water from the aqueduct. There's a pump system – heck, I don't know how they work, but they're under a lot of pressure. If you could control them, like you controlled the river –' he said, pointedly looking at Percy who immediately connected the dots. 'Frank!'Hazel beamed. 'That's brilliant!' The raven-haired girl didn't look so sure. "Even if I could, we need to time it. It'll only give us a 15 second opening to climb up the fort. We need to get closer without them spotting us. How are we going to that?"

Frank then pointed to the eastern wall of the fort, where the Fifth Cohort wouldn't be attacking. 'That's where the defense will be weakest. They'll never take three kids seriously. I think we can sneak up pretty close before they see us.'

'Yes, but sneak up how?'Percy asked, exasperated. Frank turned to Hazel. 'Can you do that thing again?' She punched him in the chest. 'You said you wouldn't

tell anybody!' Frank appeared to look guilty. Hazel muttered under her breath. 'Never mind. It's fine. Percy, he's talking about the trenches. The Field of Mars

is riddled with tunnels from over the years. Some are collapsed, or buried deep, but a lot of them are still passable. I'm pretty good at finding them and using them. I can even collapse them if I have to.'

'Like you did with the gorgons,' The green-eyes demigod said, 'to slow them

down.' Frank nodded approvingly. 'I told you Pluto was cool. He's the god of everything under the earth. Hazel can find caves, tunnels, trapdoors –' 'And it was our secret,' she grumbled. Frank felt himself blushing. 'Yeah, sorry. But if we can get close –' 'And if I can knock out the water cannons …'Percy nodded, like she was warming to the idea. 'What do we do then?'

Frank checked his quiver. He always stocked up on special arrows. He'd never got to use them before, but maybe tonight was the night. Maybe he could finally do something good enough to get his father's attention; enough for him to claim him. 'The rest is up to me,' he said. 'Let's go.'

**A/N : I know, I know - updating after a bloody month and leaving the chapter here?! Not cool... But if I had included the War Games in this chapter, it would have been really long.**

**Don't forget to share your thoughts - the good and the bad - by reviewing! :)**


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